Control apparatus for vacuum heating systems



Nov. 8, 1932. c. M. BAiLEY CONTROL APPARATUS FOR VACUUM HEATING SYSTEMS Filed June 27. 1931 QN mm WN wmmm um ww a m m INVETOR (Y1 as. M Bail ey BY Q g ATTORNEY( Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES CHARLES M. BAILEY, OF SAN FRAN CISCO, CALIFORNIA CONTROL APPARATUS FOR VACUUM HEATING SYSTEMS Application led June 27, 1931. Serial No. 547,249.

This invention relates to heating systems of the vacuum low pressure steam type. In,

systems of this character a compensating valve is interposed in the line between the source of steam and the radiators, to maintain an even flow of steam through the line, but whose operation is not affected by changes in weather or temperature conditions in the areas being heated. It therefore frequently happens that improper amounts of steam pass through the heating system for conditions obtaining at the time, which with the use of the compensating valve alone as the control means, can only be altered by a manual adjustmentof this valve.

The principal object of my invention-is to avoid the need of any such hand regulation of the compensating` valve by providing, as an adjunct thereto, an automatic thermostatically controlled device arranged to cause the compensating valve to be actuated to varying extents, independent of its normal automatical actuation, as the temperature conditions adjacent the system or the radiators thereof may vary.

An amount of steam suicient to maintain a general average temperature throughout the zone beingheated, is therefore automatically passed through the system regardless of fluctuations in the exterior temperature which would otherwise seriously affect the heating of the enclosed 'areas in which the radiators of the system are mounted.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

Theseobjects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

The figure on the drawing is a sectional elevation of the compensating and thermostatically controlled valves, as arranged in the heating system and as set when a flow of steam is passing through the compensating valve with thethermostatically controlled valve closed or idle.

The compensating valve which is of a standard type comprises a body 1 having an intake 2 at one end and an outlet 3 at theother end. The intake and outlet ends of the valve are connected to the adjacent separated ends 4 and 5 of the steam pipe leading from the steam supply to the heating apparatus respectively.

A counter balancing valve unit of standard character is mounted in the body 1. This unit comprises opposed heads 6 ada ted to engage seats 7 in a wall 8 interpose in the body between intake and outlet, so that said heads control the passage of steam through the valve. A'stem 9 is connected to and depends from the valve unit, being connected at its lower end to a iexible diaphragm 10. This diaphragm is enclosed within and secured around its periphery to a casing formed by opposed plates 11 mounted in fixed connection with the valve body. Said casing and the diaphragm form separate enclosed chambers 12 and 13 on opposite sides of said diaphragm. Intermediate its ends the stem 9 is engaged by an adjustable weighted arm 14 mounted in such a manner as to exert a closing action on the valve, and raise the diaphragm in the chamber 12. A balance pipe 15 connects the chamber 13 with the pipe 5.

In operation therefore the suction in the system and which is applied to the pipe 5, maintains a constant tendency to vacuum in said pipe. This vacuum or negative pressure is therefore exerted in the chamber 13 on the under-sideof the diaphragm tending to pull the same and the stem 9 down, and to consequently open the Valve against the resistance of the weighted arm. The steam therefore flows from the pipe 4 to the pipe 5 tending to reduce the vacuum pressure in the pipe 5. This will cause a lessening of the pull on the diaphragm and a closing or partial closing of the valve to be had, and which ultimately results in the building up of the vacuum and a subsequent re-opening of the valve. In actual operation the valve unit is maintained in more or less floating relation to its seats, giving an even flow of steam through the valve regardless of temperature conditions in or adjacent the areav being heated. p

The automatic thermostatically controlled device to actuate the compensating valve in accordance with the heating needs had under varying weather or temperature conditions `is constructed as follows:

Mounted in a desired location is a manually adjustable thermostat 16 of standard character which controls the operation of a switch 17. This switch is interposed in the circuit wires 18 of a solenoid 19 or other electrical device which is mounted in a casin 20. The core 21 of the solenoid is connected o a stem 22 projecting into a valve body 23 and terminating in a needle valve 24 in said body. The needle valve normally engages a seat 25 shutting off communication between the interior of the bodyabove the valve and a pressure supply pipe 26 connected thereto, the closing of said valve being normally maintained against the pressure by a suitably arranged spring 27.

A wall 28 in the body above the seat divides said body into separate chambers 29 and 30, from which pipes 31 and 32 .respectively lead. The pipe 31 is connected to-the chamber 12 while the pipe 32 leads to a drain. The wall 28 has a valve seat orifice 33 there- ,through with which a valve 34 is engaged, said valve being mounted on the stem 22 above the needle valve and opening down, or in a direction opposite to the opening movement of said needle valve. In other words when the valve 24 is closed the valve 34.- is opened and vice versa. I

In the operation of this structure the switch 17 is normally opened, or until the temperature drops to a point below that for which the thermostat is set. The solenoid is therefore normally inactive and the needle valve is closed, so that the pressure from the pipe 26 (which may be air, water or steam) and which is constantly maintained therein cannot affect the action of the compensating valve which functions in the usual manner. When however` the valve 17 is closed by a drop in the temperature at the thermostat, the solenoid is energized and the stem 22 is raised. This opens the valve,24 and closes the valve 34. As a result a positive pressure flows from the pipe`26 to the chamber 12,

pressing down on the diaphragm and opening the compensating valve to a greater extent than was the case at the time with the normal functioning of said valve. A greater ilow of steam, independent of that permitted by the vacuum conditions in the pipe 5, may therefore pass through said pipe to the heat- .ing apparatus to raise the temperature to the desired minimum. .When this heat is reached the thermostat again functions to open the switch, closing'the yalve 24 and opening the valve 34. The'pressure previously fed to the chamber 12 is then free to escape from the same as the diaphragm'lifts due to the closing action of the weighted arm, and passes through the pipe 31 and through the valve orice 33 to the drain pipe 32.

It is to be understood that the drawing only shows the essential features of the control apparatus. Accessories such as hand valves, pressure gauges etc. while actually essentials have been omitted from this showing as forming no part of my invention.

`rom the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from -such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a steam heating system having a conduit extending from the steam supply tothe heating apparatus of the system, a compensating Valve to said conduit functioning automatically by reason of pressure variations in the conduit to admit a predetermined steam pressure to such conduit, and inde pendent thermostatically controlled means connected to said valve to operate the same to admit additional steam pressure to the conduit.

2. In a vacuum heating system'having a conduit extending from the steam supply to the heating apparatus of the system, a selfbalancing valve in said conduit, means to open said valve by a relative increase vin negative pressure in the conduit beyond the valve, and separate thermostatically controlled means connected to the valve to open the same independently of the functioning of said first named means.

3. In a vacuum heating system having a conduit extending from the steam supply to the heating apparatus of the system, a self-balancing valve in said conduit, means tending Yto close the valve, pressurev actuated means to open the valve, separate pressure actuated means to also open the valve, and thermostatically actuated means controlling the functioning of said separate pressure actuated means.

4. Ina vacuum heating system havinga conduit extending from the'steam supply to 'the heating apparatus of the system, a selfbalancing valve in said conduit, said valve including a closure member, means acting on' said member to move the same to closed position, a diaphragm connected to said closure member, a casing in which said diaphragm is enclosed, a vacuum pipe connected to the conduit beyond the valve and to` the casing on one side of the diaphragm to cause the latter to be moved in a valve opening direction against the influence of the valve' closing means when a relatively great negative pressure is in the pipe, a separate pressure pipe connected to the casing to also cause the diaphragm to be moved in a valve opening d1- rection when a relatively great pressure is in said last named pipe, a normally closed valve in said last named pipe, and thermostatically controlled means to open said last named valve.

5. In a vacuum heating system having a conduit extending from the steam supply to the heating apparatus of the system, a selfbalancing valve in said conduit, said valve including a closure member, means acting on said member to move the same to a closed position, a diaphragm connected to said closure member, a casing in which said diaphragm is enclosed, a vacuum pipe connected to the conduit beyond the valve and to the casing on one side of the diaphragm to cause the latter to be moved in a valve opening direction against the inuence of the valve closing means when a relatively great negative pressure is in the pipe, a positive pressure pipe connected to the casing on the opposite side of the diaphragm, a normally closed valve in said last named pipe, and thermostatically controlled means to open said last named valve.

6. A structure as in claim 5, in which said thermostatically controlled means comprises conduit extending an electric device connected to the valve, a circuit for said device, a normally open switch in said circuit, and athermostat connected to said switch to close the same when the atmospheric heat in the zone of the thermostat drops below a predetermined degree.

7. In a vacuum heating system having a conduit extending from the steam supply to f heating apparatus of the system, a selfbalancing valve in said conduit, said valve including ay closure member, means acting on said member to move the same to a closed position, a diaphragm connected to said closure member, a casing in which said diaphragm is enclosed, c vacuum pipe connected to the conduit beyond the valve and to the casing on one side of the diaphragm to cause the latter to be moved in a valve opening direction against the influence of the valve closing means when a relatively great negative pressure is in the pipe, and separate thermostatically controlled means connected to the casing to move the diaphragm in a valve opening direction.`

ing direction against the influence of the valve closing means when a relatively great negative pressure is in the pipe, a separate pipe connected to the casing on the opposite side of the diaphragm, a valve body connected to said pipe, connected to said body, a discharge pipe connected to the body, a valve device in the body to close communication between the pressure pipe and the diaphragm pipe and between the latter and the discharge pipe alternately, means normally holding the valve device in a position to shut off the pressure pipe, and thermostatically controlled means to reverse the position of said valve device.

In a vacuum heating system, a conduit extending from the steam supply to the heating unit, a balanced valve in the conduit normally controlled by the vaccum in the system to admit a predetermined steam pressure through the valve, and a separate thermostatically controlled means to advance the open position of the valve and admit more steam through the conduit when the temperature at a given point reaches a predetermined degree.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES .M. BAILEY.

a positive pressure pipeI 

